«Salad Days» Mac Demarco (English Version)

Salad Days
Artist: Mac Demarco
Year: 2014
Captured Tracks
Score: 8.8

The first time I listened to Mac Demarco it truly was a pleasant random accident. Back in my college years one of my favorite ways of discovering new music was using 8tracks, a website advertised as “handcrafted radio” where anyone could create a playlist which became public for anyone to enjoy. A weird cloudy morning (weird because it was mostly sunny where I used to live) I stumbled upon on one of many playlists titled “Rainy days” and without second thoughts I pressed play on the first one I laid my eyes on.

I remember I was getting ready to go to school when “Chamber of reflection” began playing… that song just floored me. Not only did I stop caring about me running late for school, now everything I wanted was to stay and research everything about Mac.

To me, that song made me experience something that only The White Stripes made me feel. Besides Jack White, I knew no other musician that truly seeked to translate who he was as an artist before pursuing success, pleasing a record label or producing a worldwide hit. It impresses me a lot whenever I meet an artist that makes music just for him/herself and that such effort translates into immediate acceptance.

“Salad Days” it’s the opening track of the album (and its tittle as well) and presents itself in a most chilled way. Mac begins though with the theme of concern, talking about the pressure that it takes to pursue a dream and how when achieved, his life changes completely.

Ironically, “Blue boy” answers to the worries of the previous track, stating that growing up is learning to detach from those situations which we cannot control and focusing less on the shallow aspects of life.

In “Brother” Mac has to pull the handbrake because he finds himself being confronted by his “inner teenager” who asks Mac, what ever happened to those dreams and expectations that he had to put a pause on, in order to grow up like he was told to.

“Let her go” manages to create a special moment, fusing tropical and joyful vibes with a bittersweet note on the chorus that creates a deep nostalgic sense, without losing the harmony of the song. All these elements unite to exemplify how trust is a double edge weapon in a relationship. Mac sings about a painful truth to anyone who has experience what it is to fall out of love: “But if your heart just ain’t sure / Let her go”

Even though on previous tracks Mac seams to give advice to himself, “Goodbye Weekend” it’s a clear stop sign to those who, well intended, try to guide Mac’s life without realizing that they’re trying to change who he is. So he sings: “If you don’t agree with the things that go on within my life / well, honey, that’s fine just know that you’re wasting your time”

If most of the time Demarco’s singing style can be quite extravagant as well as unique, in “Let my baby stay” his voice projects as sweet, innocent and smooth, accompanied with this cute ballad.

Every word counts in it, since in past occasions he has explained that the song is about the difficulties he and his girlfriend had to go through when they first moved to America. Let’s remember that they’re both Canadian and it seems they had some issues with their visas getting issued.

Generally when talking about Mac Demarco, it comes to mind this cartoonish quirky guy. In “Passing out pieces” the music may sound like that, but Mac gives us a truthful inside look towards the frustration he feels when he has to put an act that the fans expect from him, meaning that with every passing day it becomes harder to be himself. This is similar to the story of “the boy who cried wolf”. Mac has been shouting “Wolf!” from the very beginning of his career and, now that the fatigue comes along, nobody believes him.

“Treat her better” is an excellent song that mixes that soothing sensation of being at the beach along the characteristic bedroom rock / lo-fi sound that Mac knows very well. With a simple and effective guitar solo towards the end of the last verse, this is a very memorable song.

It’s no coincidence that “Chamber of reflection”, which was my introduction to Mac Demarco, forced me to sit for a minute and just take it! Hands down the most dense and complex track on the album.

“Chamber of reflection” makes reference to the initiation rite of the freemason cult, where the candidate its locked in a sealed room to reflect on his past life as well as his future aspirations and desires. Precisely what Mac achieves with this enormous meditative song.  

Even with all the myths and legends formed around Mac Demarco, I firmly believe that he is a romantic. His girlfriend it’s a recurrent muse that inspires his ballads. This time “Go easy” it’s a plea to life itself to keep her girl safe wherever she goes.

As closing act “Jonny’s Odyssey” its an instrumental and cinematic song that sums up really well the intended direction and sound of the album; I can almost see the credits roll up the screen if I close my eyes. Personally I believe this is the concept behind “Salad Days”, a short film about the struggle and growth of Mac Demarco’s music journey, which he shares in his sophomore LP.